The curtains on arguably probably the most exhilarating of all T20 World Cups had been drawn with India’s magnificent overcome South Africa in a pulsating last which aptly summed up the whole event that twisted this manner and that until the very finish. Whereas India strengthened their place as one of many true behemoths of the fashionable recreation with their embarrassment of riches when it comes to expertise, and an unerring willpower to win, the others too, with their extraordinarily excessive commonplace of cricket, contributed handsomely in making it an unforgettable event.
Listed here are some important moments from the previous few weeks to reminisce about:
1) USA shock Pakistan
First-timers USA, co-hosting the showpiece with the West Indies, brought about a flutter once they shocked former champions Pakistan in a Tremendous Over in Dallas within the very first week of the event.
A boundary off the ultimate ball of USA’s run-chase had despatched the match to a Tremendous Over, and it was the co-hosts of the event who got here out on prime on the Grand Prairie Stadium, pulling off one of many all-time nice upsets.
2) India prevail over arch-rivals Pakistan on difficult pitch
On a tough New York pitch that provided loads of help to quick bowlers, India had been requested to bat first by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and had been bowled out for 119 in 19 overs after a collapse.
In reply, Pakistan had been cruising at one stage however as they’re wont to, Babar’s workforce pressed the panic button within the face of some unbelievable dying bowling from Jasprit Bumrah, shedding the match by six runs to face on the point of a group-stage elimination following back-to-back reverses.
India captain Rohit Sharma deserves some credit score for the win as he saved a few Bumrah overs for the again finish, which proved to be decisive.
3) India-US group recreation
The cheesy pitch at New York’s Nassau County Worldwide Cricket Stadium continued to be the topic of debate as India locked horns with USA, who had been bowled out for 110 after Arshdeep Singh (4/9) registered his greatest bowling figures in T20I cricket.
Within the chase, India wobbled a bit, shedding massive weapons Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant with simply 39 runs on the board.
However they overcame the anxious moments and accomplished the chase due to Suryakumar Yadav’s calculated half-century.
4) Afghanistan enter semifinals for the primary time
Afghanistan certified for the semi-finals of a World Cup for the primary time by beating Bangladesh by eight runs in a tense low-scoring showdown in St Vincent. However the spotlight of their inspiring marketing campaign was the gorgeous win over heavyweights Australia of their penultimate Tremendous Eights recreation.
If not for Rashid Khan’s, Australia might effectively have proved to be a thorn within the flesh for others.
5) Rohit goes ballistic in opposition to Australia
Main from the entrance, India captain Rohit Sharma produced probably the most brutal assault on the Australian bowlers throughout a 41-ball 92, which left the rivals deflated because the Males in Blue stormed into the semifinals with a convincing victory.
That hammering left Mitchell Marsh’s males depending on the results of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh match to progress, which didn’t go their method.
6) Afghanistan’s 56 all out in opposition to South Africa
Up in opposition to South Africa’s high-quality tempo bowling within the semifinal, Afghanistan had been skittled for 56 because the giant-slayers’ run within the event ended on a reasonably forgettable notice.
7) Kuldeep-Axar duo bamboozle England
After Rohit Sharma as soon as once more led by instance and Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya’s very important runs with the bat, the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel bamboozled the English batters with their extraordinary bowling, paving the best way for India’s crushing win over the defending champions and their entry into the the third ICC event last in final 12 months.
7) Kohli lastly amongst runs
Coming into the ultimate after a poor run of scores and questions being requested about his place within the XI, Virat Kohli regained his contact when it mattered probably the most — the massive last in opposition to a high quality assault — and lifted his workforce from a precarious place, standing tall amid the rubble.
His 59-ball 76 laid the inspiration for a complete that proved to be simply sufficient for the Indian bowlers to defend and snatch the trophy from inside South Africa’s grasp at Kensington Oval.
8) Surya’s blinder of a catch
Kohli might need struck kind within the massive recreation however had it not been for Suryakumar’s catch for the ages, India would not have grow to be champions of the world for the second time within the shortest format.
Needing 16 runs from the ultimate over, the damaging David Miller hit a large full toss from Hardik Pandya however Suryakumar steadied himself on the ropes, caught the ball, launched it simply as he went over the boundary ropes after which got here again in to finish an astonishing catch that will likely be talked about like Kapil Dev’s from the 1983 marketing campaign or Jonty Rhodes’ blinder in 1996.
9) Kohli and Rohit’s T20I retirement
Barely an hour after the epic triumph, captain Rohit Sharma joined his longtime teammate Virat Kohli in saying his retirement from worldwide T20 matches, probably the most becoming finish to 2 wonderful careers that ran parallel to one another for the final 15 years.
It’s not for nothing that reams of pages, waxing lyrical, had been devoted to the 2 all-time greats of the sport amid the euphoria over India’s title triumph.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
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